Most residents return to Porchlight facility after fire

Nearly 100 residents of a transitional housing apartment
building that caught fire Friday night have returned to the
facility at 306 N. Brooks St. near the UW-Madison campus.

However, 16 women whose rooms were too severely damaged will
move around the corner to St. Francis House Episcopal Student
Center, said Dave Black, a St. Francis House board member. Black
said the church plans to deconstruct the residential part of its
building soon to make way for a student housing project, but for
now, the building has enough vacant living space — including
bedrooms, a kitchen and showers — to accommodate the women.

Contractors and volunteers Saturday morning repaired the
building's fire alarm system and began cleaning the units, both
preconditions before residents could be allowed back in, said
Madison fire spokesman Eric Dahl. As of 3:30 p.m., the building had
been released back to Porchlight officials, Dahl said.

Three people were taken to a hospital and as many as 100
residents were displaced by the fire, which reportedly started in a
group kitchen around 6:30 p.m. Friday. Dahl said an early damage
estimate was around $750,000. The fire's cause has not been
determined, he said.

Red Cross spokesman Dan Kehoe said 40 people took advantage of a
temporary shelter opened Friday night at West High School for the
displaced residents.

Karla Jameson, Porchlight's director of services, said the
agency is accepting donations of money, bedding, women's personal
hygiene items and winter clothing for the women whose living
quarters were most heavily damaged.